


The Dare That Started Our Love

by spiderdust



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25879408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiderdust/pseuds/spiderdust
Summary: When Hermione gets called a prude by both Lavender and Parvati, she contradicts them. This causes them to give her a dare.Kiss the next boy who walks into the Great Hall.Hermione accepts, thinking nothing of it - it would hardly be her first kiss.But little did she know...
Relationships: Hannah Abbott/Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood/Rolf Scamander, Ron Weasley/Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas
Kudos: 8





	The Dare That Started Our Love

**Hermione POV:**

The Great Hall was full of chatter, people complaining about the lessons they had that day, first years still in awe over the food - even after a month of being here. 

Hermione took it all in as she grabbed some more bacon, grimacing as she pulled off the fat from the side of it. She loved bacon but she rarely ate it because most of the time, it was more fat than bacon. She was tempted to just go to the library - she wasn't that hungry anyway - but after the war, she had promised Harry and Ron to eat 3 proper meals a day. Sure, she go back on that promise, it's not like they would know as they were at Auror training, but they had recruited every Gryffindor 8th year and a few 7th years to keep an eye on her. 

When she had found out about this, she had been furious and had immediately sent her two best friends a Howler each. But after she had calmed, Ginny and Luna had sat her down and explained why Harry and Ron were worried. They had stood her in front of full length mirror and Hermione had been shocked when she properly looked at herself. She was skin and bone, obviously from the lack of proper meals while on the run as well as refusing to eat more than a few forkfuls at every meal. Ginny had explained that Mrs Weasley and the rest of the Weasleys had been out of their minds with worry. Everyone thought she had sunk into a depressive state, which she had, and was trying to starve herself, which she wasn't. 

After that day, Hermione had tried to eat a proper meal but it had been hard. After nearly over a year of barely any food, she got severly sick if she ate too much or too rich foods. It was a slow progress and, in between meals, she would always try to have some sort of sweets to suck on. You weren't allowed to eat in lessons but the teachers turned a blind eye to Hermione's chewing or sucking. They all knew she was trying to gain weight and were all behind her, supporting her behind the scenes. If any of her classmates noticed her eating, they didn't say anything.

"Hey Hermione! What's wrong with that bacon? Head Girl can't handle a bit of fat?"

That was another change. Hermione was now Head Girl. It wasn't a surprise to anyone but the responsibilities, which would have seemed easy enough to her before the war, had been weighing down on her. Add on the fact that Draco Malfoy was Head Boy and she was drowning in the role that had been her dream for the last 7 years.

"Hermione? You alright? I was joking about the fat"

Two girls sat on either side her. Hermione already knew who they were before she looked up. It was Lavender Brown, Ron's new girlfriend, and her best friend Parvati Patil. Ron had broken up with her for Lavender, making up a some poor excuse that had to do with 'not wanting to watch her starve herself'. Hermione knew it was bullshit but she had accepted it and forgiven him pretty easily. They had only been dating for a few weeks after all. It's not like she had been in love with him since she was 16. Ginny, on the other hand had been furious. She had been ecstatic at the thought of finally having Hermione as a proper sister but now she would be stuck with Lavender unless Ron got bored of her and found someone else.

"Yeah, don't worry Lavender. I knew you were joking"

"How much have you eaten? You don't seem to be gaining weight. No one will love you if your skin and bones"

Hermione glared at her plate, a tight feeling growing in her chest as both girls leaned in to look at her plate. She felt suffocated. What was going on? But then both girls leaned back and Hermione could breathe again. The suffocating feeling went away and she felt anger growing in her chest instead. But she repressed it. She knew that Lavender meant well. They had become some sort of friends after all. They had let go of any grudges that they had and had shook hands, much to Ron's delight and Ginny's ire.

"I've eaten enough, Lavender. Thanks"

But both girls had moved on, talking over Hermione's head about their boyfriends. Hermione heard the words 'sex' and 'Ron' and she sat up straight, turning to look at Lavender.

"Lavender, sorry to interrupt, but if you're going to talk about that, then can you go talk about it somewhere else. I'd rather not hear about it"

Both girls started giggling, looking at Hermione with amused eyes. "I told you, Parvati. She's still a prude" Lavender said, holding her hand daintily over her mouth to smother her laughter. Hermione looked at her with unbelieving eyes, her mouth turned down into a slight frown. 

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"You've never changed Hermione. You've never liked talking about sex or boys. I'm not being mean - i think it's cute, you know, keeping your innocence and all that. It's endearing i suppose. I bet you haven't even kissed a boy"

Hermione stared at them. What were they on about? Had they not been at the Yule Ball, when she had snogged Viktor Krum. And she definitely knew about the kiss that Hermione had shared with Ron - _Lavender's boyfriend_. She didn't say anything, waiting for them to stop giggling before she tried to defend herself. She was not a prude. Eventually, the two girls managed to smothered their high pitched laughter, turning to look at Hermione expectantly.

"I am not a prude. I've kissed both Viktor Krum and Ron" Lavender bristled at that but Hermione ignored her, continuing on. "Just because I don't like hearing about sex while I'm eating my breakfast, especially when it involves a boy who is basically my brother, does not make a prude." Hermione nodded at the two girls triumphantly, feeling proud of herself for the first time in months. But her feelings pride slithered away when she saw the looks on both girls faces. Oh dear.

"Ok, Hermione. If you're not a prude, then you won't have any problem with the dare i'm about to give you."

Hermione swallowed. Say no. Say no. You've got nothing to prove. It's just Lavender.

She nodded. Lavender grinned, a devious glint sparkling in her eyes.

"Kiss the next boy that walks into the Great Hall" 

Hermione gaped at the two grinning girls for a minute, thinking the dare over. She didn't have to do it. But then they would never drop it and if Ron did end up staying with Lavender for the rest of his life, she would most likely have to put up with being reminded of it for the rest of _her_ life and she wasn't willing to put up with that. Before she even knew what was going on, she had accepted. Lavender and Parvati stared at her in disbelief but they quickly composed themselves and smiled sweetly at her.

"Well then, Hermione. Better keep an eye on that door. Lucky we're near the the end of the table so you won't have to walk too far"

Hermione swallowed again. Suddenly, the breakfast she had eaten this morning didn't seem like a good idea. Her stomach churned, face going pale as she watched the doors, waiting for someone to walk in. The Hall was pretty much full so there was only a few people who would be coming through that door and she prayed that they would all be girls. Her luck went out the window, however, when she saw a pair of shoes walked into the Hall. A pair of boys shoes.

She didn't look at the boys face. She just stood up and started walking towards the him, leaving the two shell shocked girls behind. She got closer and closer, not looking up. Just staring at his shoes. She would back out if she saw his face.

Then they were toe to toe. He didn't move and nor did she. He was much taller than her. A couple of seconds passed before she finally worked up the courage and reached up, hand wrapping around his tie. Distantly, right at the back of her mind, she noticed it was a Slytherin tie but she didn't take note of that. She stood on her tiptoes, simultaneously pulling the boy down by his tie.

Then she was kissing him. Inside she was freaking out but on the outside she was perfectly calm, a facade that she had been working on for years. She heard the gasps and the conversations that immediately struck up around the Great Hall and they brought her back to reality, panic spreading through her body. She let go of the boys tie and tried to step back but the boys arms had wrapped around her waist and he held on, kissing her for a few more seconds before letting go. 

Hermione took a deep breath before looking up into the boys eyes. A strangled sound made its way out of her throat as she realised who she had just kissed, her hand slapping over her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes and she stepped back. She had just snogged Draco Malfoy. 

She couldn't move as his stormy grey eyes stared into her own chocolate ones. Memories swirled through her brain as the tears started rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly the Great Hall disappeared and she was back in Second Year, staring into those same eyes as he called her a Mudblood. Then the scene disappeared and she was in Third Year, Malfoy eyes filled with glee as he boasted about Buckbeak's execution. Fourth Year, Malfoy laughing as he predicted when Harry would die in the Tournament. Fifth Year, his malice filled eyes sneering at her as he strutted around the castle, his Inquisitorial Badge shining on his chest. 6th Year, those grey eyes glaring at her as he walked out of the school with Snape and the rest of the Death Eaters.

And then she was back in Malfoy Manor, her screams echoing through the room as Bellatrix straddled her, carving into her arm. She thrashed on the ground, wishing for death. Then her eyes connected with frightened grey ones and she begged him to help her, whispering his name before she screamed again. He turned away and then she was alone. All alone.

Something snapped and then she was back in the Great Hall, staring straight into those same eyes of a boy who bullied her, made fun of her and who looked away when she had been tortured. Her chest constricted and she felt a fist wrap around her throat, blocking her airways. Hermione recognised what was happening to her and she quickly ran out of the hall, ignoring the shouts of her name that followed after her

Her hands flew to her chest as she ran, her whole body trembling as she gasped for breath. Eventually she couldn't run anymore and she collapsed against a wall, sliding to the floor. 

She was alone.

All alone.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I would have written more but i thought that was a good place to end :)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully the next chapter will be out on or before next Friday ;p


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